How Paths Can Change
by MyAmethyst
Summary: Recently back from a year of studying, Lily Evans is set to start a new job. It is an exciting time for her. Unfortunately, the war is escalating. As the noose tightens around the Order, fate will set her on a path that will change her life forever.  AU
1. Prologue  Crossing Paths

Rated [M] for language, magical violence, and sexual situations

Genres: AU, romance, drama, angst, adventure

Summary: Recently back from a year of studying, Lily Evans is set to start a new job. It is an exciting time in her life. Unfortunately, the war is escalating. As the proverbial noose tightens around the Order of the Phoenix, circumstances will set her on a path that will change her life forever.

Note: This AU is a post-Hogwarts story set in the early 1980s.

Thanks go out to shyfoxling for beta reading. I really appreciate it.

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><p>Prologue – Crossing Paths<p>

_November, 1980_

It was late in the afternoon, and the clouds were gathering fast. Looking to the skies, Lily Evans grasped the collar of her black, double-breasted coat and held it shut. Autumn had arrived, and the wind had a definite bite to it. As it stirred her hair and the brim of her poor-boy hat, she contemplated her surroundings, and drew an extended breath.

The park, she noted, was exactly as she remembered it, from the trees and the manicured lawns to the beautiful, circular fountain alongside the walking path. With the crunch of dry leaves beneath the soles of her brown leather boots, Lily neared the water feature, and looked down at the rippling surface, thinking.

It had been a good while since she had stood here, in this very spot. Fifteen months, to be more precise. _Has it really been that long?_ she mused, thinking back to the night she and James had decided to break off their engagement.

…

_"So you really want to do this." A statement rather than a question, James' words reached her as she threw yet another blade of grass in the fountain._

_"I have to, James." Sitting on the circular edge, Lily looked up at him. "This isn't working anymore." There was a weighty pause, and then, "We both know that."_

_She hated this, hated that she had to be the one to tell it like it was. But things hadn't been right for a long time now._

_The deaths of her parents, the stresses of war, James' penchant for needless risk-taking, and the realisation that she didn't want to be a housewife… all of those things had taken a toll, putting much strain on them. Simply put, she was tired of the arguments, tired of pretending that everything was alright when, in fact, it wasn't. For both their sakes, it had to be this way._

_His features bathed in the bluish patterns of moonlit water, James merely stood there, apparently unable to return her gaze just yet. Finally, after a long moment, he sighed and looked at her, his expression one of disappointment and resignation. "I'll always love you, you know."_

_The breeze picked up, causing the leaves to rustle. She remained silent._

_"So… what now?" James asked as he sat next to her._

_Lily shrugged, certain only of this: she needed time to center herself, to find a new path, and figure out what she wanted to do with her life. "We figure it out as we go along."_

_Nothing was said after that._

…

Though difficult and conflicting, the decision to part ways had been the right one. And while James had been reluctant at the time, he had come to accept it. Oh, the transition had not been an easy one. After all, they had been together for a good while. But they had ultimately found their own paths.

In Lily's case, the search for professional fulfillment had led her to Galway, where she had spent twelve months under the tutelage of Tiarnan Byrne, a well-known wizard who had dedicated his life to the study of advanced and experimental charms. The experience had been challenging and rewarding, exactly what she had needed in the wake of her breakup with James.

Now that she was back, Lily felt content with her life, and was looking forward to starting her new job at Griffiths & Young, a wizarding company whose products were geared towards new and expectant mothers.

Having lingered in the park for a few minutes, Lily decided it might be best to go. After all, it was supposed to rain later, and she had yet to walk the shop-lined street of Diagon Alley.

When she finally got there, it felt like a home-coming of sorts. It had been too long. Eyeing the window displays, Lily walked at a leisurely pace. Despite the ominous weather, it felt good to be out and about like this. She had missed it, had missed the sights, the smells, and the sounds of this place, so very near to her heart.

Eventually, the cobbled street yielded to a busy flight of stairs, beyond which was a side-street lined with pubs and a few more shops. Since rain was imminent, people were hurrying about, their eyes darting to the roiling skies every now and again. Not wanting to bump into anyone, Lily kept to the left side, her hand skimming the stone railing as she went.

About halfway up the steps, a particularly strong gust of wind threatened to steal her hat. With quick reflexes, she brought a hand to keep it in place, but in doing so accidently brushed against someone's arm or shoulder. "Sorry," she said, casting a sideways glance as her foot rose towards the next step.

For a fleeting instant, her eyes caught glimpse of a pallid face framed by a curtain of wind-whipped hair as black as night. While this was enough to spark something in her memory, it was the eyes—dark and deeply familiar—that made her slow to a stop.

The air rushing out of her lungs, Lily hesitated for a moment. A part of her wanted to turn around. The other part didn't.

_Is it really him?_

How long she stood there, Lily could not say for certain. It might have been three seconds, it might have been more. As her mind supplied memories both good and bad, she looked over her shoulder—though not far enough to see if he was still there—and held her breath.

Maybe she was mistaken. Maybe it wasn't him at all. But if it was, then what? She had already closed the book on their complicated story, on that painful day, so long ago.

"_I_ _never meant to call you Mudblood, it just_—"

"_Slipped out? It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends… You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine_."

Merlin, had it already been… what? Five? Six years? She couldn't remember anymore. Torn between looking and walking away, Lily bit her bottom lip. In the end, her curiosity won out, and her feet started to move, slowly turning on the spot until her gaze fell on…

_Severus_.

Besieged with a myriad of conflicting emotions, Lily contemplated her childhood friend. Clad in a black travelling cloak, Severus Snape stood several steps below, his gaze fixed firmly onto hers. Tall and slender, he looked older than the last time she had seen him. Older, and… she searched for the word, but it eluded her.

Though his features betrayed very little, the look in his eyes suggested that he was surprised to see her. Time stretched on, and they merely stood there, looking at one another through the continuous flow of pedestrians. Not knowing how to feel, Lily thought about the boy he had once been, and how she had truly cared for him. Then, with a definite heaviness in her chest, she allowed her gaze to fall to his left arm.

The Dark Mark, the vile brand given to Voldemort's most faithful and elite followers… If the rumours were true—and they usually were—he would have had it for a few years now. The notion troubled her greatly. But more than that, it saddened her, too.

_Oh, Severus. Why?_

Somehow, he must have known what she was thinking, because he soon grasped the edge of his cloak, his arm finding refuge beneath the flowing fabric as though he was ashamed of what lay beneath the sleeve. Remembering his fascination with the Dark Arts, however, Lily recognised that last observation for what it was: wishful thinking. Severus wasn't _ashamed._ He was a Death Eater, something he had aspired to be.

A second flitted past, and their eyes met once more. Despite the wind and the many passersby, the space between them was heavy, laden with a dull kind of sadness. Their paths had diverged long ago, and there was no going back.

Remembering the last words she had ever said to him, Lily regretfully turned away, convinced that this would indeed be the last time she would lay eyes on her former friend.

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><p>Thank you for reading. The next chapter should be posted within a week or so.<p> 


	2. Ch 1 The Night That Changed Everything

Chapter 1 – The Night That Changed Everything

_D__ecember, 1980_

"I would offer you something else, but I'm afraid I only have tea." Remus Lupin shuffled across the weathered floors of his modest living-room, two steaming cups of Darjeeling in his hands.

He had been living in this flat for the better part of a year now. And ever since Lily had returned from Ireland, the two friends had taken to visiting one another. It had become a tradition of sorts, one they both enjoyed. Theirs was a close friendship, one that had taken root during their time at Hogwarts. His unwavering support during her breakup with James had meant a great deal. They understood each other. In many ways, he had become the brother she had never had.

"Don't worry about it, Remus. Tea's fine." A smile on her lips, Lily accepted the proffered beverage, then watched as Remus settled in an armchair across from hers. The lamp next to him was lit, casting a subdued glow on the right side of his face.

"Still enjoying work?" he asked.

"I am. It was a good week, very busy," she answered, then went on to explain that they had just launched a new line of merchandise which included baby monitoring crystals, soothing potions for teething, and an assortment of toddler-friendly toys. "You should have seen the people in the shop today. It was madness!"

"I can imagine," Remus offered in between sips. "Diagon Alley sees quite a bit of traffic during the holidays."

"Well, shopping does seem to be down some this year, but not as much as a lot of people said it would be. Maybe it's hope, maybe it's defiance. But they seem to be drawn to the festive atmosphere, you know?"

Though Remus remained silent, she knew he understood. These were dark times indeed.

The war was escalating; attacks on Muggles and Muggle-borns were becoming more and more frequent. As it stood, not even pure-blood wizards were safe. Those who stood in defiance of Voldemort often met the most atrocious of fates. People were disappearing every week, and a shadow of paranoia was descending on Britain's wizarding community. Nobody knew who to trust.

In the midst of all this, the Ministry of Magic tried to project an image of strength. The Aurors, they said, were working around the clock to ensure everyone's safety. And they were; it just wasn't enough.

Thankfully, Albus Dumbledore understood this, and behind the scenes he had founded the Order of the Phoenix, the organization for which they both fought.

"I wish this war would end." The words left her lips before she realised it.

"It will."

Meeting his gaze, she saw that Remus meant what he said.

Smiling at his optimism—an optimism she herself shared in—Lily decided it was time to change the subject. Her eyes darting around the room, she took a quick sip of her tea and said, "We should get you a tree, Remus. This place could use a little Christmas cheer."

He laughed. "You know, that's pretty funny coming from a woman who is currently living out of boxes."

Lily raised her eyebrows. "I'll have you know that I'm now completely unpacked… well, except for a box or two, but those are just mementos. And I did decorate some. You should come round and see."

"I will."

Unfortunately, all this pleasant conversation was not to last. Shortly after ten o'clock, Emmeline Vance's Patronus appeared. Seeming at first to be a speeding ball of light, it came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the living-room and morphed into a silver squirrel, which said with her voice: "_Death Eater raid on Rowan Street. Targets are numerous. We need help_."

Already rising from her chair, Lily set her empty cup on the coffee table and met her friend's concerned gaze. "Let's go."

Halfway to the cupboard, Remus threw a glance over his shoulder. "We're going to need to fly there."

"Anti-Apparition wards, I know," Lily replied with a nod, slipping her arms into the sleeves of her coat. While the Ministry's latest security measures could be inconvenient, they were also necessary in high-risk neighbourhoods. Over the past year, this region had been targeted numerous times. It had become so bad that many of the Muggle-born residents had decided to move elsewhere, a trend that had prompted the Ministry into warding certain areas to make them safer.

"You have a spare broom?" Lily asked.

"It's pretty old, but yes." After quickly donning his coat, he handed the broom over and off they went, hurrying out the door and taking flight.

As they sliced through the night, the cold air whipped at their faces, numbing their skin. Gripping the handle of her broom, Lily ignored the growing stiffness in her fingers, and leaned forward in hopes of gaining speed. _Please, let them be safe_, she prayed, thinking about the people they were rushing to help.

A long agonizing minute passed. Then Remus pointed ahead, a frown knitting his brows. "Look!" Following his finger, Lily saw a burning home and a rising column of smoke. Though heartbreaking, the sight ignited her anger. _How can people be so heartless?_

"We should land over there!" Remus indicated a small open area behind a thicket of trees lining the street, his voice barely carrying over the puffs of rushing wind.

"Good idea!" she said.

They touched down, keeping a sharp eye on their surroundings. Quickly, they shrunk their brooms and pocketed them. Then, with their wands at the ready, Remus and Lily started towards the worrying shouts at the other end of the street.

At first, they moved as stealthily as they could, keeping to the shadows, or darting whenever they were in the open. But as they neared a rather intense exchange of spells and curses, they recognized their friend Emmeline. She was locked in a duel against not one, but three Death Eaters.

There was no time to waste; they immediately jumped in to help.

"Glad you could make it," Emmeline said, her eyes locked onto her target as she cast yet another spell from behind a parked car.

Joining her behind the car, Lily threw a quick Disarming Charm, then ducked. "How many are there?"

"As you can see, there are three right over there." Breathing hard with exertion, Emmeline rose, and flicked her wrist. A flash of red left the tip of her wand, then she ducked once more. "But I'm afraid there are more up ahead. Not sure how many. James and Sirius have gone after them, I think."

Despite their history, Lily was relieved to hear that her former fiancé and his best friend were there. They were talented wizards, both of them. But more importantly, they were good men. And they were her friends.

"Peter was with me just a minute ago," Emmeline continued, "But those arseholes managed to wedge their way between us. I don't see him anymore. I hope he's alright." A curse narrowly missed Emmeline's head. "Merlin's beard!"

Shouts came from all around. The smell of smoke hung in the air. Her heart racing, Lily cast a quick succession of spells, then sought cover once again. It was a good thing that most of the residents had fled by this point.

"Where are the Aurors?" Remus asked from where he was crouched behind another car, several feet away.

With a jerk of her head, Emmeline answered, "My guess is over there!" Over the houses, more smoke could be seen some distance away. Obviously, the attack was not confined to one neighbourhood.

The streets were lit with flashes of green and red. The Death Eaters were determined, but so were they. As spells were exchanged, the trio doubled their efforts, and eventually got the upper hand. "Nice one!" Emmeline said when Lily landed a successful full Body-Bind. But regrettably, the trend was not to last: all of a sudden, they were outnumbered. Death Eaters were coming out of the shadows one by one. They would soon be overwhelmed.

"We need to get out of here!" Remus said. Lily had been thinking along the same lines. Something about this attack seemed off. Usually, raids like this were carried out by small groups of three to five Death Eaters. But the numbers they were now facing? It was overkill.

Suddenly, one word formed in her mind: _ambush_. The Order had been lured out here.

"Quick! Back to the landing!" Remus called out. Watching each other's backs, they hurried toward the thicket of trees, hoping that the cover of darkness would give them the precious seconds they needed to make their escape. Without slowing down, Remus took out his broom and returned it to its original size.

"Please tell me you have two of those," Emmeline managed in between ragged breaths.

"We do," he replied, mounting the broom as he jerked his head to indicate she should climb behind him. "Hurry! They're right behind us!"

To their left, Lily had done the same as Remus, and was now kicking off the ground.

They quickly cleared the tree line with several Death Eaters hot on their heels. As curses and protective spells were exchanged, the masked figures started to close in. Luckily, James and Sirius had beaten a hasty retreat as well, and were now flying in to help.

"Nice going, Sirius!" Lily heard James say.

Following his gaze, she saw that one of the Death Eaters had broken off pursuit, the burning end of his broom leaving a trail of smoke in its wake. But although there was one less person after them, the victory was a small one. Voldemort's elite doubled their efforts, and more and more curses were thrown their way. One by one, the Order members were forced to break ranks.

Realising she had been cut off from her friends, Lily cursed under breath, and glanced over her shoulder. Indeed, she was being followed.

The Death Eater in question was a woman with cruel features, and a wild mane of curly black hair. _Bellatrix_, she thought. Fanatically loyal and proud of it, Bellatrix Lestrange seldom wore a mask, and tonight was no different.

As Lily blocked yet another curse, her ears picked up a familiar, demented cackle. God, the woman gave her the creeps. Not only that, she was dangerous. Knowing she would have to do something to evade her, Lily veered sharply to the right. In doing so, she narrowly avoided a flash of green: the Killing Curse. _That was too close_.

Things became a blur around her as she manoeuvred. Dodge. Counter. Veer to the left. Veer to the right. Lily had no clear idea of where she was going anymore. Her friends were now scattered in every direction. She really was on her own, and so were they.

A minute later—or perhaps it was only a few seconds—Lily looked over her shoulder and saw that Bellatrix had closed the gap. She was almost right next to Lily now, her wand poised to cast another curse.

Lily's eyes widened. She had no time to react!

"Avada Ke—"

Just then, Lily caught a glimpse of someone just beyond Bellatrix's shoulder. In the span of one syllable, there was a flash and a rushing sound.

The spell passed within a hair's breadth of her would-be murderer, startling Bellatrix into halting her fatal incantation. _Thank God!_

But Lily's luck ended there, for the new curse continued on its way, heading straight for her. She didn't even have time to gasp.

The spell—whatever it was—hit her in the ribs, stealing the air right out of her lungs. And then, pain. Terrible, slashing pain, as if she had been cut repeatedly by an invisible blade.

Fighting to keep from passing out from the pain, Lily forced herself to breathe. It was excruciating. With each inhalation came a renewed surge of agony. And as if that wasn't enough, it was paired with a trickling kind of warmth over her skin: she was definitely bleeding.

In between blinks, she saw Bellatrix roll her eyes. Clearly the woman did not like being robbed of a target, but now that Lily was as good as dead, Bellatrix seemed bored. Sure enough, she soon sped off, her murderous sights now set on somebody else.

As consciousness threatened to slip away, Lily pondered her fate, and how she might have preferred the merciful swiftness of the Killing Curse. Blood continued to seep into her clothing—she could feel it—and her strength waned even more. As she passed over a wooded area, she slumped against the handle of her broom, unable to control it anymore.

_This is it,_ Lily thought, only vaguely aware of her broom's spiralling downward trajectory. _This is how I'm going to die_.

In a fluid, helpless motion, her grip failed. She slipped off the wooden handle, and fell, and fell, and fell.

She was facing the sky now, seeing the stars for the very last time. Her face framed by a tunnel of wind-swept hair, Lily thought the heavens looked quite lovely on this night—a rather strange observation considering she must be seconds away from death.

Though she was in pain, Lily found she accepted her fate. After all, what else could she do? But then, as towering trees came into view around her, fate apparently decided to change its plans. Instead of the ground, her body was met by an unseen force, like a cushion of air.

The sudden whoosh halted her momentum. Then, with incredible gentleness, her body was lowered to the forest floor. She couldn't believe it. _Huh_.

And with that thought, darkness finally enveloped her.

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><p>Thank you for reading. The next part should be posted sometime next week.<p> 


	3. Ch 2 Fragments

Thanks go out to shyfoxling for beta reading this for me. I truly appreciate it.

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><p>Chapter 2 – Fragments<p>

Lily was far away, caught in some sort of void. Total blackness. She was alive, yes, but barely so. In spite of her dulled senses, though, she was aware of certain things. Her beleaguered body was bereft of warmth, her limbs slack and motionless on the cold, hard ground. Somewhere around the vicinity of her ribs, the stinging ache remained.

Unable to tell if her eyes were open or not, she tried to ignore the pain, and instead chose to listen to the sounds around her. They were distant and somewhat muted, mere echoes against her eardrums. Nevertheless, Lily could discern them: the howling wind, the occasional snap of swaying branches, even the rasping sound of her shallow breathing.

Lily drifted. Time had lost all meaning, and nothing seemed quite real. She waited, certain only of this: death would claim her soon.

From somewhere, near or far, came another sound; a dry, crackling noise. It kept repeating. The pace was fast, bordering on frantic. Footsteps on brittle leaves. As Lily slipped further and further into nothingness, they came to a sudden stop.

"No." It was a male voice, one she might have heard before.

Her face angled to the side, Lily opened her eyes just so. For a mercy, the darkness that had crept into her vision chose that moment to retreat a little. Blinking slowly, she deciphered an outline through her lashes. Boots. And a dark cloak, the hem of which was dragging behind whoever this was.

There was a rustle of leaves, and then the man was kneeling at her side. Even in her present state, she could feel his proximity, could feel the soft press of slightly-shaking fingers as he sought the pulse-point of her neck.

Her vision faded to black—perhaps for the very last time—and then he spoke. "I didn't mean to, I swear." Although the meaning of these words was lost to her, the anguish in them was palpable. Who was this person?

"_Vulnera Sanentur…_" Chant-like, the incantation reached her ears like a calming touch. "_Vulnera Sanentur…_" As the man repeated it a second time, he brought a hand to her forehead and gently swept her hair away from her face.

The pain, she noted, lessened with each repetition of the spell. By the third one, the worst of it had passed. Still, the ordeal had taken its toll, and Lily felt incredibly drained, more so than she had ever felt in her life. Too weak to move or speak, she simply breathed. Merlin, her eyelids were heavy.

The man stayed with her for what seemed like a long moment. His presence was comforting. So was the way he held her hand, his thumb tracing a continuous circle into her palm. "I'm sorry," Lily heard him say.

For the briefest of instants, she wondered at his apology. But then—

"Lily!" The sound of another voice calling her name broke through the stillness, startling the man who was kneeling beside her. With one last squeeze of her hand, he repeated his apology, then rose in a soft whisper of fabric. A second or two later, the calming presence was gone. All that remained was the fading sound of hastily retreating footsteps.

"Lily!" The other voice sounded much closer than before. _Remus_. It was him. Even through the haze, she was almost certain of it.

"Over there. I think I see her." This time, the voice belonged to a woman. Emmeline.

Lily had been found.

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><p>I know this chapter was super short, and for that I apologize. I promise the next one will be longer. For those who are still interested in following this story, chapter 3 has been written and betaed. I just need to edit a few things, and should post within a week or so. I would also like to thank all of you for reading. It's very much appreciated.<p> 


	4. Ch 3 Emergence

Thanks go out to shyfoxling for beta reading this chapter. :-) I really appreciate it.

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><p>Chapter 3 – Emergence<p>

Lily awoke some time later, in a room bathed in the cool, grey light of an overcast morning. Through narrowly opened lids, she tried to make sense of her surroundings. There were four beds in the room, two of which were partially obscured by a privacy curtain. This was a hospital of some sort. _St. Mungo's, right_. It was vague, but she recalled being brought here.

Exhausted beyond belief, Lily shut her eyes once again. No more thinking. No more analyzing. All she wanted to do was rest, and so she did. Except for the occasional shuffling of the staff, all was quiet.

As time wore on, the light in the room seemed to change. Lily noticed it through her eyelids: a brightness. The sun had pierced through the clouds, warming her bed through the window.

Approaching footsteps echoed on the floor, standing out against the subdued sounds of the room. Lily opened her eyes and saw an older woman clad in lime green robes—a Healer. Her silvery-grey hair was gathered and coiled at the back of her head, a common style among witches of a certain age.

"I see you're awake." The lady neared the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Sore."

"That's to be expected." With a steady hand, the Healer held her wand over Lily's ribs, analysing the mending injuries. Her wizened eyes crinkled in concentration. "It was a good thing your friends found you when they did. It got pretty cold last night."

At the mention of her friends, Lily shifted slightly, slowly. It was painful to do so. "Where are they?"

"Oh, your friends are here, don't worry. They've been taking turns." The woman jerked her head towards the corner, an amused smile gracing her lips.

There, in a chair by the window, sat Remus. His head propped awkwardly on his palm, he slept soundly, wearing the same clothes as the night before. The sight was endearing, and Lily couldn't help the small tired smile that formed on her lips. "Remus," she said, weakly.

The sound of his name was enough to wake him. After a few confused blinks, he met her gaze, and returned her smile. "Hey. You're awake."

Before either of them could say anything else, the Healer tucked her wand into her pocket. "You can have a few minutes." To Lily, she continued, "I'll be back shortly to apply some salve." With that, the older woman left, her robes swaying as she went.

Once they were alone, Remus made a confession. "You gave us quite a scare, you know."

Lily chuckled tiredly. "Did I?" In truth, she couldn't remember much; only that they'd been flying, when she'd been hit with…something. "Forgive me, it's like my mind is in a fog."

"Not surprising." Remus hauled his chair closer to her bedside. "They gave you something for the pain. Pretty potent stuff, too."

Lifting her gaze to the ceiling, Lily searched her mind, but saw only bits and pieces of what had happened. She remembered duelling on Rowan Street. And she remembered the broom chase. After that, the sequence of events was unclear.

"I recall being in pain," she murmured at length. "And I recall seeing trees." The puzzle was far from complete, she knew. But what she had was quite enough to make her wonder. "How did you find me?"

Remus shrugged. "Pure luck, I suppose. Emmeline and I were trying to get away from a Death Eater when I saw you heading towards some trees, your broom flying like a corkscrew. Straightaway, I knew you were in trouble..." He trailed off, and the look in his eyes suggested that he was reliving the event.

"It took a minute or two, but we finally managed to get away. And that's when we went back." Remus cleared his throat, and gave a small smile. "Somehow we found you, and brought you here. That's all that matters."

Lily uncurled her fingers, exposed her palm in an invitation for him to take her hand. He did. "Thank you," she whispered.

A second flitted past. "Don't mention it."

"What about the others? Is everyone alright?"

"We had a few close calls. But yes, everyone's fine," Remus answered.

"Good." Her worry began to ebb, and a wave of relief took its place. "I'm glad to hear that."

Minutes passed in quiet company. When the Healer returned with a trolley laden with various salves and potions, Remus rose from his chair. "I should go tell the others you're awake. They've been waiting in the visitors' tearoom for a good while now."

Lily was quite touched that her friends had spent the night at the hospital. "I'll see you later, Remus."

Once he had gone, the Healer closed the privacy curtain and approached her bedside, a glass of water in her hand. "Here. Before we do anything else, you should drink this."

This woman had a kind bedside manner and seemed to have a gentle disposition. With her help, Lily managed to get into a semi-sitting position. "Thank you, ma'am," she said, then drank, swallowing in small sips.

"You're very welcome. And my name's Mrs Agnes Colville."

Moments later, Lily lay on her side, the back of her gown unfastened in order to allow the healer to apply a thin layer of salve.

"Very curious, these injuries of yours." Mrs Colville studied the area, a pair of glasses perched low on her nose.

Not quite following, Lily asked, "How so?"

"It appears you were hit with some sort of cutting spell, and a serious one at that. But you see how the skin has knitted?"

Slowly and with effort, Lily craned her neck and saw her injuries for the first time. Scars. Angry red and painful, they crossed her skin in random, interweaving patterns. The majority of them rested on her side, but two or three extended to her arm and shoulder.

"The cuts were already healed when you were brought here," Mrs Colville explained. "At first, I thought your friends had performed some sort of healing spell, but apparently they did no such thing."

Lily searched her mind for an explanation, but came up empty. "I'm afraid I don't know what to tell you." Even as she said this, a memory began to surface. _Vulnera Sanentur_…

"Of course, magic is a strange and volatile thing," Mrs Colville continued, completely unaware of her patient's faraway gaze. "We see it all the time. When poorly cast, curses can have some pretty unexpected results…"

The woman kept on talking, but Lily was no longer paying attention. She was remembering something—the incantation of a spell spoken in a voice both deep and low.

Before she could make sense of it, Mrs Colville broke through her musings. "There. I think that'll do for now." With practiced hands, the Healer refastened Lily's gown. "The pain should lessen within the next few days. As for scarring, I'm afraid I can't make any promises. We applied dittany when you first got here, but unless it is used immediately its effects can be strongly diminished. And you're going to need some time to heal and regain your strength." The healer retrieved a bronze-coloured potion from the trolley. After measuring the appropriate dosage, she instructed Lily to drink it, saying it would help.

The taste was simply awful. Once Lily had swallowed all of it, she resettled against her pillow and asked, "How long will I be staying here?"

"A few days. Maybe four or five depending on how quickly you recover." Mrs Colville regarded her with sympathy. "Now try to get some rest. I'll come back in a little while."

Left to her thoughts, Lily looked towards the window and drew an extended breath. The memories were there, just below the surface. So close. Were it not for the lulling effects of the potion, she might have been able to grasp them. Alas…

A gentle knock sounded just then, ushering her back into the here and now. James Potter was standing in the doorway, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Hi," he said, looking somewhat nervous.

"James. Come in." Truly glad to see him, Lily watched as he crossed the room.

"Good to see you in one piece."

"Same to you." In spite of her exhaustion, she recalled how he had helped during the chase, and couldn't resist teasing him a little bit. "I saw some of your moves out there."

Running a hand through the unruly mop that was his hair, James sat down, laughter lacing his voice when he said, "You remember that, do you?"

"Some of it, yes."

From there, silence fell. His hazel eyes held hers for a long moment.

"So," he started again, his smile fading slightly. "It's been a while since we've… talked."

They had not spoken much over the past year, it was true. But that wasn't to say that they hadn't kept in touch. In addition to one or two shared meetings with the Order, they had taken to writing to each other every once in a while.

"Well, how've you been, James?"

"Good. Keeping busy." He momentarily looked to his hands, then steered the conversation away from himself. "I hear you started working for Griffiths and Young. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks."

The moment hung there. James didn't seem to know what to say. As for Lily, she was simply too worn out to hold a decent conversation.

Finally he said, "I suppose I should let you rest."

"I'm not very talkative, am I? Sorry."

He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about it, Lily. Rest and get well." Before he left, however, James stopped at the door, his gaze not quite reaching hers when he said, "It's good to have you back."

The rest of the day was spent in a repeating cycle of rest, short visits, and more rest. Thanks to the pain-relieving potion, sleeping was no problem. Unfortunately, it came with rather unpleasant side-effects, not the least of which was persistent drowsiness.

By mid-afternoon on the second day, Lily had grown weary of it, and had asked Mrs Colville to reduce the dosage. After cautioning her about the likelihood of increased discomfort, the Healer had acquiesced. True enough, the aches had grown more acute. Still, Lily preferred it to the alternative. Maybe she was being stubborn, but there was just something about not being able to think clearly. She hated it, hated feeling like she was in a fog.

That night, Lily could not settle into sleep. In the shadows, she rested on her right side, her gaze fixed on the swath of light cast through the open doorway. Her mending injuries were bothering her, and her muscles felt stiff. Nevertheless, she welcomed the discomfort, for it helped her achieve a mental clarity that allowed her to fully gather her thoughts—a first since she was brought here.

The events of the other night kept repeating in her mind, as they had been for the better part of an hour. The details were much clearer now, and they came to her in brief but vivid bursts: the partial incantation of the killing curse, the sudden flash beyond Bellatrix's shoulder, and the realization that she had been hit with some sort of dark spell.

Had it ended there, the tale would have been simple enough: two Death Eaters, their sights set on the same target. But the story was more complicated than that. She knew that now.

First, there had been the cushioning spell. It could not have cast itself. Lily remembered how it had felt, how the invisible barrier had halted her momentum, saving her life. Summoning the most crucial pieces of the puzzle, she closed her eyes.

"_No_…_"_ A man's voice. So familiar. Somehow, Lily knew it wasn't a dream. She could still see his boots, could still feel the warmth of his proximity as he'd cast the healing spell. And then there were his words. _"__I didn't mean to, I swear." _Anguish. Fretfulness. Remorse. _"I'm sorry."_

_Of course_, she thought. It was obvious, wasn't it? The man who had saved her life and the Death Eater who had almost taken it were one and the same.

The picture was mostly complete now, and the identity of the man was easy to guess. Not only was Lily part of the Order, she was Muggle-born as well. As far as Voldemort and his followers were concerned, she was an undesirable, a nuisance and an abomination to be disposed of as quickly as possible. None of them would think twice before killing her.

Except one.

A myriad of conflicting emotions were now churning in her being, and a lump had formed in her throat. With tears gathering behind her eyelids, she swallowed with difficulty, and saw him in her mind's eye—her former best friend, the man she had seen not too long ago, in a crowded set of stairs just off Diagon Alley.

Severus Snape.

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><p>I would like to thank you all for reading. It's been a joy to share this story with you. For those who might be wondering, the next chapter will be written in Severus' perspective. Hopefully I will be able to finish writing it within the next week or so. Thanks again for taking the time to read this story. I really appreciate it.<p> 


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